Bookstand



Feb. V21, 1961 Filed May 26, 1959 E. G. RENSCH BOOKSTAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

EBERHARD G. RENSCH Wwf wm, SMMQ A TTORNE YS Feb. 21, 1961 2,972,415

E. G. RENS CH BOOKSTAND Filed May 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EBERHARD G. RENSCH mw, ALW, Sc/yv image,

A TTORNE YS nlug v United States Patent-t BOOKSTAND Eberhard G. Rensch, Sachsenhanser Landwehrweg 115,'

Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed May 26, 1959, Sel'. No. 815,871

11 Claims. (Cl. 211-42) l This invention relates to bookstands, and more parwithin the lower end of the rod, the annular bearing member at the lower end of the rod being supported in sliding varying engagement with an annular member fixed to the post. The post may be lixedly supported either by af downwardly projecting leg assembly or may be supported' upon a vertical surface by a suitably vdesigned bracket.

Books are supported in the stand by-being slid radially l inwardly between the vertically extendingY webs on adf standardized vertical and horizontal dimensions, books` lmay thus be displayed with the title on the binder being;

ticularly to bookstands especially adapted for displaying ly large number of titles these racks require a substantialamount of floor space. In some instances, revolving stands are employed. However, it is also customary to support the books in such revolving stands in a fashion such that the front cover is visible to the customer and thus only the outermost book in any given row is exposed to the customer.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a display bookstand wherein the title of each book displayed is readily visible.

It is another object of the invention to provide a display bookstand assembly of compact construction in which books are displayed in a manner such that they are both visible and readily accessible.

- Still another object of the invention is to provide a bookstand constructed from a minimum number of readily assembled, self aligning standardized parts, whereby the capacity of the bookstand may be varied substantially at will.

In the achievement of the foregoing, and other objects, a bookstand embodying the present invention is constructed from a vertically elongated centralrod having an annular bearing member tixedly secured to its lower end. A plurality of symmetrical radially projecting shelf units are located on the central rod and are vertically separated from each other by hollow tubular spacer members which surround the rod and extend between vertically adjacent shelf units. a plurality of radially projecting shelves having vertical webs extending along their side edges. The tubular spacer members are constructed with a horizontal transverse polygonal cross-section so that each side of the spacer extends across the inner end of each radially projecting shelf in a direction perpendicular to the radial extent of the shelf. Projecting lugs on the shelf are located to engage the internal corners of the polygonal tubular members so that the shelf units are selffaligning jacent shelf u nits, the vertical heightof the spacer beingsubstantially equal tothe heightof theparticular books being displayed. Since mostpaper bound books are of exposed at the outer edgeof the shelf. The rotatable support ofthe structure is such that the structure may be easily rotated yet does not vspin freely so that it maybe A: conveniently positioned by the customer.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent by reference to the followingspecifcation and to the drawings. i In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of 'one embodiment ,of bookstand embodying the present invention;

Fig, 2 is a side elevational view of the vbookstand assembly of Fig. 1 with certain parts broken away or shown in cross-section; v 4 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the bookstand assembly of Fig. 1; 30v

Each shelf unit includes f1 with each other by virtue of the engagement of the lugs within the spacer.

' The shelf units and spacers are vertically clamped against each other by a cap member threadably received on the upper end of the central rod which forcesthe shelf units and spacers'downwardly -against the annular q Fig. 4`is a cross-sectional view .of the'bookstand as- Sembly Of-Fig- 1; taken. 0I1- the lin@ 4,-"4 gf -Eig- ,25

Fig. Sis an exploded perspectiveY view showing details of the upper portion of the assembly ofFig.-y l; .Fig.V V6 is an exploded perspective viewjshowing the lower portion of the bookstand assembly of Fig. 1;.aud p Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of the lower portion of a modified form of bookstand assembly. v

In the embodiment of Fig. l, the bookstand includesl support structure in the form of a vertical center post 10 having an annular bearing collar 12 lixedly mounted upon post 10 near the lower end of the post. Three sym-. metrically disposed legs 14 are rigidly secured to post 10 below collar 12 to provide a tripod support for thepost. The structure described thus far provides a support or base for the book supportingelements of the assembly which include a hollow tubular central rod 16 whose internal diameter is such as to slideably receive post 10 in the manner best shown in Fig. 2. A bearing platelS is xedly secured to the lower end of rod 16 as` by the threaded engagement at 20 in Fig. 2. Preferably, vbearing plate 18 is constructed of brass while collarA 12 is formed from steel. The facing surface of bearing plate 18 and bearing collar 12 `are smoothly finished so that rod 16 and structure supported, thereon to be described below may rotate reasonably freely upon the supporting base. v The lowermost of a plurality oflike shelf units 20 is .1 supported upon the upper Asurface of bearing Iplate .182

Each of shelf units 20 is identical, hence-the following description is equally applicable to .any ofthe shelf units 20 shown in the drawings. As best shown in Fig. 5, leach shelf unit includes a horizontal plate ,22 formed with a plurality of shelfdening arms 24 symmetrically disposed about al vertical axis of symmetry Passing through the center of plate '22. Each'shelf defining arni 24 isformed withparallel side edges which extend par; allel to and equidistantfromv a radial line such as R (Fig. 4)the respietiyeijradial lines R. intersecting'each other. at the vertical axis Aof 'symmetry A (Fig. 4) A circular lopening 26' concentric; with the vertical axis of Ysymmetry'A passes through plate 22 and is formed with a Ydiameter slightly exceeding the external diameterQf Patented Feb. 21, 1961 rod' 16 whereby-shelf units 20 are received upon rod 16 with a loose sliding fit.

Vertical webs or tianges 28 extend along the side edges of shelf defining arms 24 and project vertically both above and below the plane of arm 24. Locating lugs 30 project vertically upwardly and downwardly from the respective upper and lower sides of plate 22 for a purpose to be described below. Shelf units 20 are preferably constructed from clear plastic material and may be either molded integrally as a single unit or may be built up from separate individual parts fixedly secured to each other as by a suitahlecement.`

arm defining shelves 24 are formedV on each shelf unit symmetrical about radial lines R displaced 120 from each other.

Shelf units 20 are spaced vertically from each other along rod 16 by like hollow tubular spacer mem-bers 32 of polygonal horizontal cross-section. Since a three armed shelf unit is employed, the transverse cross-section of the spacer units32 is triangular in shape and is related to the location of the locating lugs 30 upon the shelf units so that Ia lug 30 will fit into each internal corner of the triangular cross-section of member 32y in` the manner best shown in Fig. 4 when the spacer units are in place `between adjacent shelf units. Thus, each side of spacer 32 extends across the inner end of each arm 24 in a direction perpendicular to the radial extent of the` arm.

Since each shelf unit 20 is identical,- the congruent location of lugs 30 acts to vertically align the radially projecting shelves of adjacentY unitswith each other as best shown in Fig. 1. The shelf units 20 and spacers 32'are clampedvertically against each other by means of a threaded cap 34 which is threadably engaged with the upper end of r'od 16'which, in cooperationwith bearingplate 18 at thev lower end of rod 16 firmly clamps the spacers 32 and shelf units 20 against each other. The shelf units are vertically centered becauseA of the loose tit of centralv openings 26 upon rod 16 and are vertically aligned by virtue of the engagement between lugs 30 and the internal surfaces of the polygonal tubular spacers 32.

When the unit is assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 1, it is adapted to support a group of books vertically between vertically adjacent shelves, the books being slipped radially inwardly onto the shelves between the projecting vertical webs on the upper and lower shelves of each adjacent pair of shelves. The unit is primarily designed for displaying paper bound books and the vertical length of spacers 32 is selected in ac cordance with the vertical dimension of the books being displayed so that the upper portion of a book supported on the lowermost shelf unit 20 will project vertically beyond the lower portion of the vertical web 28 on the next higher shelf unit. Preferably, the radial length of each shelf defining arm 24 is selected to be somewhat less than the horizontal width of a book being displayed so that the binder of the book will project outwardly beyond the outer edge of the shelf as indicated in dotted lines at B in Fig. 4.

The clamping force exerted by cap 34 is sufficient to lock the `shelf units and spacers into a substantially rigid structure which, because of the sliding bearing engagementbetween bearing plate 18 and annular bearing 12, may be rotated `as a unit about the vertical axis established by post 10. l

In the modified form of assemblyy shown in Fig. 7, the supportstructure takesv theV formof abnacket 50 which may -be .xedly securedrto, a vertical surfacey such as a wall 52 with Averticallsupport rod 10A lbeing, fixedly secured.. at the outer end of the bracket. Anannular kbearing, collar 12a is fixedly mounted upon the bracket to engage a bearing plate'18a fixedly secured to a rod In the particularV assembly shown in the drawing, three radially projecting 16a to support shelf units20a and spacers 32a as in the Fig. l embodiment.

I claim:

1. A bookstand assembly comprising a plurality of like shelf units each symmetrical about a vertical axis and having a central opening extending vertically therethrough, each of said shelfn unitstcornprising a horizontal plate having a plurality of radially` projecting arms each defining a shelf extendingradially outwardly from said vertical axis Vof symmetry,V a vertical rod projecting through the openingin each olf said shelf units, a plurality of hollow ttubular spacers surrounding said rod and engaged between adjacent shelf lunits on said rod to space said shelf units vertically from each other, means on each shelf unit engageable with said spacers to vertically align the radially projecting shelves of said shelf units with each other, means on said rod engageable with the uppermost shelf unit and the lowermost shelf unit onl said rod for clamping said shelf units andv said spacers vertically against each other, and means supporting said central rod for rotation about an axis coincident with the vertical axis of symmetry of said shelf units.

2. A bookstand as defined in claim 1 including vertical webs extending along the sides of each shelf and projecting above and ybelow the shelf.

`3. A bookstand assembly as defined in claim l Wherein each shelf includes opposed side edges extending parallel to and equidistant from a radial line passing through saidvertical axis of symmetry, said hollow tubular spacers having a polygonal transverse cross-section with each side of each spacer extending across the radial innermostv end of a shelf in a direction perpendicular to said side edges of said shelf.

4. A bookstand as defined in claim 3 including a vertical web extending along each sideredge of each shelf and projecting above and below the shelf.

5. A bookstand assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said means on said shelf units for vertically aligning said shelves of adjacent units comprises a plurality of vertically aligned lugs projecting upwardly and down wardly from said horizontal plate to engage the interior surface of a spacer at each internal corner of said polygonal horizontal cross-section.

6. A bookstand assembly as defined in claim 5 including a vertical web extending along each side edge of each of said shelves, said web projecting vertically above and below each shelf.

7. A bookstand comprising a vertical rod, an annular bearing plate fixedly mounted on the lower end of said rod, a plurality of like shelf units slideably received upon said rod, each of said shelf units comprising a horizontal plate having a plurality of symmetrically disposed shelf deiining arms projecting radially `outwardly from said rod, symmetrically disposed lugs projecting vertically from the upper and lower surfaces of said horizontal plate at the inner end of each of said arms, hollow tubular spacers surrounding said rod and extending vertically between adjacent shelf units on said rod to space said shelf units vertically along said rod, means on said spacers engageable with the lugs on adjacent shelf units toV vertically align the arms on adjacent shelf units with each other, a cap threadably engaged on the upper end of said rod for vertically clamping said shelf units and` said spacers between said cap and said bearing plate, a stationary vertical post rotatably received within the lower end ofsaid rod, and an annular bearing fixed to said post in supporting bearing engagement with said bearing plate on said rod.

8. A bookstand as defined in claim 7 wherein each of Said shelf units comprises three radially projecting arms, each of said hoilow tubular spacers having an equilateral triangular horizontal cross-section, said lugs on said horizontal plate being located Vto be engaged within each interior corner'ofsaid" hollow tubular spacer with the l11.'A bookstand as defined in claimv 7 including al bracket assembly for supporting said stationary vertical l post lfrom a vertical surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED -STATES PATENTS Crandall May 30, 1876 Nauerth VMay 5, 1885 Lynne Aug; 4, 1896 Goldberg Oct. 17, 1922 

